The first half

The year is half over. July and the second half begins tomorrow. The first half has been pretty good. I hope the second is even better.

We met with the electrician yesterday. He will start wiring next week. The plumbing and heating instalations are suppose to all be done next week. We now begin out part - finishing.

I got my color card from Frangipani yesterday. I have now chosen yarn to the Beadwork sweater designed by AS. I am going to join the KAL that starts this fall. I need to finish Rogue soon as well.

I also have the Wedding Ring shawl that I'm going to start this winter. I have a pattern for another Shawl that I am going to knit to warm up for the Wedding Ring Shawl. I have the yarn for the second one - a lovely Schafer hand dyed lace yarn. I need to order some cobweb shetland from J&S for the Wedding Ring shawl.

I also have to order some yarn that was backordered the last time I ordered in order to knit the swatches for the Fair Isle I have designed in my mind. I was going to design it as a fund raising pattern for Northshield but after reading one of my knitting lists I'm concerned about whether or not it would even sell. I'm still going to design and knit it, but selling it might not happen, except for those few people who have already expressed interest.

The topic on the list was why so few Fair Isle type sweater patterns are available. The concensus from the designers on the list was that people don't buy them because people don't want to put in the time required to make them. They want projects that can be completed in a couple weeks at MOST.

I was also rather distressed to learn what designers are paid. The average magazine pays $500 for a design and the designer must write the pattern in all the sizes, knit the sample, and have a sample knit from the pattern in 3-5 weeks. HOLY SHIT. It takes longer than that for me to knit a sweater from a pattern if I'm not writing and vetting it, let along working full time at another job too. I am no longer surprised at the number of errors or the lack of quality from magazine patterns. Those types of deadlines are just NOT reasonable and the amount of time it takes to design and knit the sweater are not adequately compensated at $500.

Self publishing on the web might be the way to go.

Secret Pal Exchanges

So as I mentioned yesterday, I got a package from my secret pal. There was a great deal of enjoyment to be had opening the package and looking at the items. Everything was nicely wrapped in tissue so each item was like another present.

I have been watching the blog of the person for whom I am a secret pal. Imagine my joy at seeing that she had received her gift and best of all - Liked It! I already have a list of things to find for her (wish lists are marvelous things) and I am enjoying the shopping and bargain hunting very much.

I am a great lover of bargain/clearance areas. I have a list of things I want to buy and put in the next box and then the stuff from the bargain area is like that candy bar you grab in the register line at the store. The best part is shopping and not having to find a place to put it in my stash.

Surpise!

I got a package in the mail from my Secret Pal 8 exchange.

Lovely purple yarn (silk/alpaca) and a lace pattern. Chocolate and a book light. Very nice. I love it muchly. I would take pictures but I'm still having computer issues.

House remodeling progresses toward completion. With any luck we'll be able to start our share in two weeks! I can hardly wait.

Stupid Internet Issues

In addition to spending 3 hours a day on the road I am also spending 2 hours a day fighting with dial-up on my SILs computer. Now, don't get me wrong, I really appreciate them letting us stay in their house. But 5 hours of my day, everyday is starting to wear. In addition it seems that the spam filters at Itasca.net are stripping out e-cards from my Secret Pal 8. It is probably the only account where I don't get some spam, but what else am I missing?

Which brings up another point - how many e-mail accounts do I have anyway? I've never counted - but I'd guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 8. Why so mane? I have the sorted by hobby and I have the hobby accounts sorted by importance. If I'm holding an office of some sort the mail for that goes to a seperate account, that is checked everyday. Miscellaneous e-list go to other accounts. This makes it easy to get to stuff that I have to respond to promptly but it means that I log in to many accounts. There in being the problem with dial-up and webmail. Some of the ISPs have nice webmail that functions well, others, not so much. I might actually move all my stuff to gmail accounts, if only for the sorting functions.

I finished the tank last night. It fits and I have about 3/4 of the skien of silk left. I don't know what I will do with the left overs.

Now I'm going to have to start stringing beads for the purses I'm making. I think they should take a week to knit - but I'm going to start now because there is also sewing involved. Thanks to my friend G I have a table on which I can set up the sewing machine. I'm so happy with that. I could dance the dance of joy.

The "expletive" remodeling update

Perhaps the end IS in sight. Everyone except the electrician will be in the house next week. This is good. We meet with the electrician on the 29th to place switches and outlets. He will do that and be done by the 10th of July - supposedly.

My spouse with a death wish commented how he will be doing all the drywall alone. If he makes on more snotty comment to me about it he will be. I have nothing scheduled from the 9th of July until I leave for Pennsylvania on the 10 of August (or there abouts). I can either spend that time helping with the house or hiding the corpse, his choice.

Lovely attitude for our 20th anniversary, don't you think? He's ditching me on our anniversary to go and march in a parade with his shrine drum corps. I would go home and make him a nice dinner - but he won't be there to eat it and if they do the usual hang out afterwards he won't be home until late. Harumph.

Monday

Feels like Monday.

I had a nice trip to Missouri. Camping was fun.

I did some knitting in the afternoon on Friday, I then took out the entire last section and started it over. It needed to be done. I hope that when it is finished it will be correct. When I got home the yarn to finish my tank top was in. I finished the back last night and tonight I intend to sew it up and do the edging. Then perhaps I can wear it on Wednesday - or maybe Thursday. I have started the new baby sweater and I will commence serious work on that after I finish the tank top.

It now appears we won't be back in the house until August. I'm getting very sick of this crap! I want to go home! I do NOT want to do this for another 6 weeks. I'd be angry but it won't really help much. It wasn't suppose to take 6 weeks total. Next time I have any construction done I'm going to add in a timeliness clause.

The long weekend beginneth

I leave to go camping tonight. I'm going to have brunch with my brother and his wife on Sunday. It will be very nice to see them. She just got home from visiting her family. It sounds like her trip was less than perfect.

The remodeling continues apace. Next week I have to take time off to be there when the plumber and electrician are there. I can't imagine that it can all take place the same day. THAT would be too convenient.

No knitting has occured this week - but I have 14 hours in the car ahead of me so there is a chance some knitting will occur. I don't really expect to drive the whole time. Although I'm quite sure I will drive some.

In the second century of the remodeling years

We have second floor walls. The windows are framed in - I didn't realize they were that BIG.

Once again someone who had the plans failed to read them and upon inspection of the site decided we should throw more money away and purchase a different kind of thing. This time it was windows. Tempered glass is all well and good - but you could have noticed that the plans show the hall windows are 5 inches from the floor, before we ordered regular glass, and perhaps before they arrived. You know - 2 or 3 months ago - when you approved the plans without tempered glass.

This is almost but not quite as annoying as the heating guy who came by and said "My, these rooms are going to be a lot bigger - you'll need new radiators" Did you bother to look at the dimensions on the plans? Of course he also didn't notice that we were replacing all the windows and insulation thus needing a smaller furnace, so the cost difference was almost negligable. However if the roomsize had been properly noted would we have a way to large furnace? Most likely.

To my credit I haven't shown up at anybody's office - yet.

I bought yarn for a lace shawl last night. I also bought some beads. I now have a new project to finish by WW. With any luck the new beaded bag will knit up as quickly as the first. I also bought a Grace Quilting Frame. Regular price is $300, I got this one on clearance for $140. I'm sad my Hancocks is closing but this is a darn good deal. I have four or five tops that need quilting and now I have a way to quilt them. I see a quilting bee in my future.

It's Cursed!

So I sat down to finish my tank last night and I'm out of yarn! How can this be! I have like 2 inches to go and I don't have any more yarn! The gauge is right! The size is right! But I'm still out of yarn. I now have to try to remember where I bought it and call to see if I can get more yarn. It would help if I actually still had the skein tags! Dye lot? What dye lot.

CRAPTASTIC!

How long is a week in your world?

The contractor said he would have the roof off and the new floor and roof on in a week. I went by this morning and the floor of the new story is on - but no walls and no roof. The roof came off last week we are now approaching day 10. (I would post picture - but you know that complaint.)

I'd pout - but what good would that do? None - I say. Rather like taking the contractor at his word. He's not a bad guy and things are moving along - but I wanted to be home by now. It's making life hard - ever try to put together a secret pal box when half the stuff you have set aside is an hour and a half away? CRAP!

I have almost finished my new tank top. Not that I can wear it to the air conditioned hell I call the office. It is very nice and I might have to make another one. I have about 2 inches left on the back and then sewing together. YAY!

I have decided to join the JS Beadwork KAL. I have to order yarn. I thought I was going to luck into some that was already in the states but no such luck. Some one had some for sale and it was even the right color. Alas. I hate trying to call Europe. I don't have my own phone and with the time change I'm usually in the car or in bed during prime calling times. GAH! I can wait until I get back to the house though since I'm assured that they are very prompt shippers and I will have it in plenty of time.

I am also putting my J&S order on hold until I'm home to take delivery. With my luck it will come when I'm out of town and no one is at the house to take the shipment. It will then rain on the package and promptly get VERY hot and I will come home to ruined wool. NOT my idea of happy.

Weekend in Review

We went to Fargo to see Liz. She continues to grow - Yikes!

I worked on my parents' cardigans. It was nice to have their physical presence so Mom could try hers on. Mom's will have to become a v-neck. This shouldn't be a big deal. I'll sew up the shoulders and then machine the 'V' and start the bands. I have Dad's cut and mostly secured I will be crocheting an edge to attach the bands to sometime soon. Since there isn't any place to count as a steek I'm going to have to be very careful to secure the edges and put little stress on them. Alas - no pictures.

I'm hoping that there is an end it site for the house. I'm ready to move back in and start working on the walls and floors. We have to select the tile and purchase the flooring - but no hurry.

It was very funny to see my husband NOT admit that I was right when I told him the old floor tiles couldn't be removed because they were asbestos. Nope - I had to ask about it. (well they could be removed - but it would cost more for the disposal.)

Great Sadness

I want my computer back. I'm not happy. I have a hard time updating my blog, with no new pictures, and answering e-mail. My SIL is nice to let us use her home - but her keyboard is broken and dial-up is hard when you are as spoiled as I am. If I had my computer I could show you the destruction that is my home, and the knitting that is my consolation.

I got my new knitting books in the mail. I haven't had a chance to compare the new with the old. But I think the new one has more information and the old has more patterns/projects. One of the new ones has no charts. All the patterns are written out long-wise. I will have to sit down and draw them out. Otherwise I will never use them. (see - spoiled)